Rolling mill with support plates

ABSTRACT

In order to shorten the delivery path of working rolls for their replacement in a rolling mill with support plates which are provided on an operating side (BS) of roll stands (F 1 -Fi), are displaced transversely to roll axes, are outfitted for receiving working roll sets ( 4 ), and are located adjacent to a mill floor level ( 7 ) for transporting the working rolls ( 4 ) back and forth, and with trenches ( 10 ) which are arranged upstream of respective roll stands (F 1 -Fi) on the operating side (BS) and a base ( 11 ) of which is outfitted for delivery of back-up roll sets ( 9 ), it is suggested that a transport device ( 12 ) be associated a transport device ( 12 ) is associated with the support plates ( 2 ) for transporting respective support plates ( 2 ) back and forth between a position for replacing the working rolls and in which the support plates ( 2   a ) are arranged immediately adjacent to the roll stands above the trenches ( 10 ), and a position of replacing back-up rolls and in which the support plates ( 2   c ) are located beneath the mill floor level ( 7 ) adjacent to a trench region.

The invention relates to a rolling mill having support plates orplatforms which are provided on the operating side of the roll standsand which are displaced transversely to the axes of the rolls. Forreplacing working roll sets by being displaced transversely and,thereby, for receiving the working roll sets from the roll stands, thesesupport plates are outfitted, in particular, with rail pairs and arelocated adjacent to a mill floor level to be able to transport theworking rolls back and forth. The rolling mill further has trencheswhich are arranged upstream of respective roll stands on the operatingside and have a base which is outfitted with run-out rails, inparticular, for removal of back-up rolls.

Such a rolling mill with support plates, which are displacedtransversely, i.e., in a rolling direction or in a direction oppositethe rolling direction, are disclosed in DE 43 21 663 A1. The trenches,which are arranged between the roll stands and the transverselydisplaceable support plate line, are overlapped by pivotal flaps. Forreplacement of the working rolls, the flaps occupy a horizontal positionwhile for replacing the back-up rolls, they pivot out to free a trenchfor introducing back-up rolls sets. The working rolls are dragged by atraction machine from the roll stand over the flaps up to the supportplates, with both the flaps and the support plates being outfitted withcorresponding rail pairs. Finally, as a result of the transversedisplacement of the support plates, a new working roll set is depositedon a parallel rail pair of each support plate, is pushed in front of aroll stand and is introduced in the roll stand. The traction machinecan, if needed, to take over, after a further transverse displacement ofthe support plates, the used working roll sets and deliver them in aworkshop.

In this known rolling mill with trenches which are closed with flaps,the working rolls must be displaced between the roll stands and separatesupport plates over respective flaps up to the support plates. Only whenthe working rolls are on the support plates, the transverse displacementand replacement of the working rolls take place.

Proceeding from this state of the art, the object of the invention is toprovide a rolling mill with which the replacement of working rolls takesplace within a shorter time period.

This object is achieved with a rolling mill with features of claim 1.Advantageous further developments are set forth in dependent claims.

The basic idea consists in that the transversely displaceable supportplates are displaced with a transport device from a position forreplacing the working rolls into a position for replacing the back-uprolls and back, by being sunk transverse to the rolling direction in adirection of a control pulpit beneath the mill floor level and adjacentto a trench region. In the position for replacing the working rolls, thesupport plates are arranged immediately adjacent to the roll stands andform themselves an upper closure of the trenches. The transversedisplacement takes place directly in front of the rolling mill train.Thereby, the displacement path of the working rolls can be reduced,whereby the necessary time for the working roll replacement can bereduced to a minimum. The support plates are sunk at an angle throughthe trench region from a first position in which the support plates arelocated immediately adjacent to the roll stands above the trenches, to asecond position in which they are located before the trench (viewingfrom the control pulpit) beneath the mill floor level, while retainingtheir alignment during the transportation movement.

As a transport device for the support plates, e.g., a displaceablelifting platform can be used, which can provide for sinking of theplates beneath the mill floor level and for displacement out of thetrench region necessary for the back-up roll sets.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the transportdevice has an undercarriage with rolls. The support plates themselvesare displaceably arranged with respect to an undercarriage table inorder to enable the transverse displacement along the support plateline. On the base of a respective trench, there are provided ramps whichrise in a direction of the roll stand. With this undercarriage/rampssolution, there is provided a transport device that is easilydisplaceable and is substantially failure-free.

A particularly advantageous solution consists in that the undercarriageis displaced by a piston-cylinder unit that is also used fortransporting the back-up roll sets on the trench base. In this way, nofurther drive for the transport device is necessary.

In order to convert a horizontal power movement of the piston-cylinderunit into an ascending movement along the ramps, the piston or apiston-extending traverse is rotatably connected with a support rod theother end of which is rotatably supported on the bottom of theundercarriage table.

In order to transversely displace the support plates in the position ofworking roll replacement, pressure is applied thereto. The separatesupport plates need not to be connected with each other. They are rathermovable with a side edge to a side edge.

The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to thedrawings. The drawings show:

FIG. 1 a side view of a rolling mill with roll stands and an immediatelyadjoining the stands, line of support plates with separate sinking anddisplaceable support plates;

FIG. 2 a plan view of the rolling mill shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 a cross-sectional view along line B-B in FIG. 1 with a supportplate in a position in which it is used for changing the working rolls;and

FIG. 4 a cross-sectional view along line A-A in FIG. 1 with a supportplate in a position in which it is used for changing the back-up rolls.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a rolling mill with, here, seven finishing rollstands F1-F7. ON the operating side BS (AS designates the opposite driveside) of the stand line, immediately laterally adjacent thereto, a line1 of transversely displaceable support plates 2 is provided. Eachsupport plate 2 is equipped with rail pairs 3 extending along roll axes.In the condition shown in the Figures, a used working roll set 4′ hasbeen pulled out on a support plate 2 a, while new working roll sets 5are awaiting to be inserted on respective adjoining support plate 2 band are brought in corresponding roll stands by transverse displacementin the line.

As shown in FIG. 2, ends 6 of the support plates 2, remote from the rollstands, are located adjacent to the mill floor level 7, which islikewise provided with roll pairs (not shown) for insertion and removalof working roll sets 4, 5 with corresponding traction machines 8 (seeFIGS. 3 and 4). The transportation with traction machines 8 can beeffected, e.g., according to the method disclosed in DE 43 21 663 A1 inaccordance with which tooth gears of a traction machine engage toothracks arranged along the rails. Alternatively, the function of atraction machine can be performed by a hydraulic cylinder.

Details of the invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and4. On the operating side BS or in the direction of a control pulpit,adjacent to a roll stand Fi with a working roll set 4 and a back-up rollset 9, there is provided a trench 10 the base 11 of which is equippedwith run-out rails (not shown) for the back-up roll set 9. In theposition for changing the working roll set, which is shown in FIG. 3,the trench 10 is covered by a support plate 2. The support plate 2 flushcovers the trench 10 between the roll stand Fi and the adjoining millfloor level 7. The traction machines 8, which transport the working rollsets 4 in and out, can travel over the mill floor level 7 immediately upto the support plate 2. The used roll sets 4″ can be immediately pulledover corresponding rail tracks into the mill shop WW and then bedisplaced back from there. The support plates 2 themselves can betransported with a transport device 12 in the horizontal position shownin FIG. 3, and be held there. The transport device 12, which is formedas undercarriage 13, consists essentially of a table 14 with a rollerpair 15 a, 15 b arranged thereon. The table 14 itself has rails 17 onits upper surface 16 (see FIG. 2) and which extend transverse to theroll axes and form a line, with the tables being pushed against eachother. The support plates 2 have corresponding rollers 18 displaceablealong the rail tracks for transverse displacement. In order to prevent alateral tilting, a guide 19 is provided between a respective supportplate 2 and the table upper surface 16. In the position shown in FIG. 3,the under-carriage 13 is located in an end position on two ramp pairs 20a, 20 b or tapered rails, e.g., with inclination of about 20°.

The position of the support plate 2 for changing the back-up rolls willbe explained with reference to FIG. 4. Because the trench is filled withthe lower portion of the back-up roll set 9, the support plate 2 is sunkwith inclination downwardly in the region 21 that adjoins a region ofthe trench 10.

The undercarriage 13 is displaced along the ramp pair 20 a, 20 b awayfrom the roll stand Fi below the floor level 7, with the guide cams 22facilitating the displacement. The guide cams 22 prevent a sidewisedisplacement of the table 14 during the sinking movement and in the sunkposition.

The displacement of the carriage 13 and, thereby, of the support plate 2is effected with a piston-cylinder unit 23 that also displaces theback-up roll set 9. A piston-extending traverse or adapter 24 isconnected with the back-up roll set 9 and displaces the set 9 during ahorizontal movement along run-out rails in the trench 10 and displacesback-up roll set back after an exchange of back-up rolls. Simultaneouslywith the displacement of the back-up roll set 9 out, the undercarriage13 is displaced from an elevated position into a sunk position below thefloor level 7. To this end, a push rod 25, which is rotatably secured inthe center of the bottom of the table 14, engages the undercarriage andpulls it from the ramps onto the sunk support plates. An end of thefloor level that immediately adjoins the trench 10 is provided with aflap 31.

For raising and lowering the rollers 15 a, 15 b of the undercarriage 13with respect to the ramps 20 a, 20 b, the front ramp pair 20 a is offsetrelative to the rear ramp pair 20 b. The run-out lines along the tapedrails 30 can be seen particularly clear in FIG. 2. Here, e.g., thesupport plate 2 c, which is associated with the second finishing rollstand F2, is shown as being sunk in its run-out position, e.g.,transverse to the roll direction while all of the other support plates 2are shown in the working roll exchange position. For clarification,there are shown on the support plate 2 c of the first stand F1, aworking roll set 4 that was moved out and, next to it, a new workingroll set 5.

The support plates, preferably, are not connected with each other butare arranged side-by-side next to each other. They are moved back andforth with two pressure units 26 a, 26 b which engage, respectively,opposite ends of a line 1 of support plates. The plates 2 roll alongrail pairs 17 provided in the table 14 of the undercarriage 13. Sideguide rollers 27, which roll along a guide unit 19 provided on the table14, prevent tilting. Each support plate 2 is associated with anadjustment unit 28 the position of which is variably adjustable and withwhich a respective support plate 2 can be adjusted with respect to astand Fi in the position for changing the working rolls. The pressure,piston-cylinder units 26 a, 26 b are covered, in the embodiment shown inthe drawings, with cover sheets 29 (see FIG. 1).

The proposed solution insures that the line of support plates is locatedimmediately adjacent to the finishing roll stands, and that thetransportation path for the working rolls is a short one. For opening ofthe trenches which are covered by the support plate, the support platesare sunk and linearly displaced with a transportation device. Theworking roll exchange is effected by a transverse displacement of thesupport plates, and for back-up roll exchange the support plates aresunk and a displaced in a direction of the control pulpit.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 Line of support plates-   2. Support plates-   3 Rail pair-   4 Working roll set (4′ and 4″ used working rolls)-   5 New working roll set-   6 End of support plates-   7 Mill floor level-   8 Traction machine-   9 Back-up roll set-   10 Trench-   11 Trench base-   12 Transport device-   13 Undercarriage-   14 Table-   15 Rollers (Roll pair 15 a, 15 b)-   16 Upper surface of the table-   17 Rails in the upper table surface-   18 Rollers-   19 Guide-   20 Ramps (ramp pair 2 a, 2 b)-   21 Region adjoining a trench region-   22 Guide cams-   23 Piston—Cylinder Unit-   24 Traverse-   25 Push rod-   26 Displacement unit, in particular, a pressure unit (unit pair 26    a, 26 b)-   27 Side guide rollers-   28 Adjustment unit-   29 Cover sheets-   30 Taped rails-   31 Flap-   F1-F7 (Fi) finishing roll stands-   BS Operational side-   AS drive side-   WW plant workshop

1. A rolling mill, comprising support plates which are provided on anoperating side (BS) of roll stands (F1-Fi), are displaced transverselyto roll axes, are outfitted for receiving working roll sets (4), and arelocated adjacent to a mill floor level (7) for transporting the workingrolls (4) back and forth; and trenches (10) which are arranged upstreamof respective roll stands (F1-Fi) on the operating side (BS) and a base(11) of which is outfitted for delivery of back-up roll sets (9),characterized in that a transport device (12) is associated with thesupport plates (2) for transporting respective support plates (2)between a position for replacing the working rolls and in which thesupport plates (2 a) are arranged immediately adjacent to the rollstands above the trenches (10), and a position replacing back-up rollsand in which the support plates (2 c) are located beneath the mill floorlevel (7) adjacent to a trench region.
 2. A roll mill according to claim1, characterized in that the transport device (12) comprises anundercarriage (13) with rollers (15) and on which a support plate (2) istransversely displaceably arranged, and the rollers (15) cooperate withramps (20) arranged on a base (11) of a respective trench (10), whereinthe undercarriage (13) is displaceable over the ramps (20) from aposition beneath the mill floor level (7) into an elevated position inthe trench (10), and the support plates (2 a) are aligned with the millfloor level in an end position for replacing the working rolls.
 3. Arolling mill according to claim 1, characterized in that a front and areal roller pair (15 a, 15 b) of the undercarriage (13) andcorresponding ramp pairs (20 a, b) are offset relative to each other. 4.A rolling mill according to claim 1, characterized in that for beingdisplaced between the two positions, the undercarriage (13) cooperateswith a piston-cylinder unit.
 5. A rolling mill according to claim 4,characterized in that the piston-cylinder unit is formed as a back-uprolls-replacing piston-cylinder unit (23).
 6. A rolling mill accordingto claim 5, characterized in that for facilitating of a deliverymovement of the undercarriage (13) on a ramp pair (20 a, b), the pistonor the piston-extending traverse (24) of the back-up rolls-replacing,piston-cylinder unit (23) is connected with an end of a push rod (25)another end of which is arranged on the undercarriage (13), inparticular, in the center.
 7. A rolling mill according to claim 1,characterized in that adjacent plates (2) are loosely arrangedside-by-side in the working rolls-replacing position and are displacedtogether either in one or another direction with two displacement units(26) provided at respective ends of the support plate line (1).